


(Septic Stories) Pretty in Pastel Punk Pink!

by EsculentEvil



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, PastelPunk!Anti, Self-Acceptance, Self-Indulgent, Soft!Anti, zalgo text
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23014393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EsculentEvil/pseuds/EsculentEvil
Summary: He tugs the significantly larger male aside and fiddles with his too big sleeves while explaining: “It... ̵I͏t’͠s n̕ot͏ ̴j͠us͘t̕ ̢a̷ ̢t’i͝ng̵ ̸I̧ we̵a̸r̵..̨. Ja̢c͘k̶ie..̧.̶ I͡t’̶s̢ a͟ stat̛e͝ of͞ ͝m̵in͘d..̵.͜” He tugs on the gauges Seán gifted him as he quietly murmurs, “I͘ don͟’t f̷ee̛l.͏.. ̕v̧i͡ol̸e̷n҉t̢.̸..̵ w̷hen ̕I’m͘ dr̨ess̡i̧n’ l͟ik̛e ͏t’̵is.͘.͏. Ah jus͠’͡ fee҉l...̴” He blushes, “S̸͢-̵̢s̵̶o̶͘f̨͜t̢̕.̶̶.̨̡͢.͞”
Relationships: Budding Jackieboy-Man/Antisepticeye, Septic Family - Relationship, Supportive Ipliers
Comments: 8
Kudos: 66





	(Septic Stories) Pretty in Pastel Punk Pink!

**Author's Note:**

> This is pure self-indulgence. I like the Pastel Punk aesthetic (although I’m sure my lack of real understanding/knowledge of it is very obvious in this) and I like the idea of Anti dressing in it. Since his main colors are Red, Hot Pink, Green, and Black, I thought pastel pink would suit him; partly because he’s pretty much all green in my mind (examples: [Heroic Footwear](https://esculentevil.tumblr.com/post/188851491505/heroic-footwear-anti-plants-his-foot-on), [Anti Pinup](https://esculentevil.tumblr.com/post/190750139520/roaring-20s-anti-pinup-ive-been-watching-a-lot)) and pale pinks would make a lovely contrast on that; but also because (1) Sean likes pale pink (the love he has for his salmon koalateelove shirt is pretty good proof) and (2) it’s objectively soft which was very important for this fic: meaning that if you don’t like Soft!Anti, you should leave.

It had started out as a joke.

Wilford had gleefully gifted Anti a pastel green collar with pure silver spikes (because silver’s so conductive, it allows Anti to more easily wear/hold things) for his 2017 birthday—mostly as a joke, but also as a welcoming gesture.

It had stood out like a sore on his image and he, at first, thought it was insulting: like it was meant to say that his torn-up throat—his contract’s seal—was too ugly.

But it helped him—it hid the grotesqueness of his bloody seal from Babiplier, gave him something (punk fashion) fun and neutral to talk about with Yaniplier, let him express his sharpness without hurting others or putting any of them off, drew him closer to the wild madman (Wilford) that he often identified most with, linked him to the only other electronic themed Egos around (Google and Bing) by making him the green to their blue and yellow (yes, there’ve been kid jokes), made it so Dr. Iplier had an easier time bandaging the forever open neck wound (because it helps protect the coverings from Anti’s claws, weather, and heroes), and even provided him an opportunity to bond with Amy who made him a charm—mostly: it made him feel soft and normal and accepted; so he grew to love it.

* * *

That’s how it became _a thing_.

When the Iplier’s realized he actually liked the soft colored approach to punk, they took to it with smiles and began gifting him various articles of _Pastel Punk_. Everything from sweaters to new jeans to silver spiked jackets and wallet chains. Dark even got him a lavender colored version of Wilford’s spiked joke collar, saying, “Since my colors are red and blue...” which, of course, got overheard and landed Anti with several new collars—one from each Iplier in their color—including a second one from Wilford who’s own color is pink and not green. These new additions caused him to want to explore the style even more; thus, he ended up spending many evenings with Yani, pouring over various fashion magazines and seasonal catalogs while discussing which outfits they liked and why and how they could get Dadiplier (or Seán, for Anti) to buy it for them.

Not that Anti ever told the YouTuber.

He didn’t want any Septic finding out.

* * *

But, of course, all _things_ must eventually come out.

Wilford, true to form (because it was his pastel green gift that started all this), was the root cause of Anti’s secret love of Pastel Punk coming out to Jackie—before all the other Septic’s came running to see what all his yelling was about—because it was his second collar that made Anti realize he’s not a mint punk.

He’s a rose punk.

Because he’s sort of minty everywhere else.

* * *

It’s the velvet rose grunge punk sweater that Anti gets outed with.

It had been a gift from Dadi—a kind of thank you for entertaining his daughter—and Anti’s favorite thing to wear in the winter when he’s stressed to the max. Jackie was never supposed to see it; he was never home at 3 in the afternoon when all the school kids were filing out of their classes and trekking home; mostly: he was never supposed to step out of the bathroom and **see Anti**.

And he definitely was never supposed to start screaming about it.

Anti almost fell back down the stairs he’d just finished climbing when Jackie began accusing him of stealing other people’s clothes and _who’s is it really?!_ Seán’s chest ended up being what the alarmed Glitch collided with; and the YouTuber’s arms were quick to go protectively around the silently shaking Ego.

“Why do ye assume he **stole** it?”

“Well, why else would he have it?!” Marvin purses his lips at Jackie’s reply and slips passed the mashup of Seán and Anti on his way up the stairs, eyeing them. He floats by the hero’s side, shadowed eyes clearly judging the dusky sweater.

Then, he rests a hand on Jackie’s shoulder, shocking them all.

“It’s Cloakbrand.” He points at the little tag sticking out from the clothe’s bottom: a tiny C with an even tinier D in the center—Dadiplier’s own special signature (Dark has a similar one and it can be found on several other articles of clothing in Anti’s closet; but his is a backwards D meant to allude to the Upside-Down).

“..̛.͏ ͞‘̢Sa ̧g̵if͟t.̢.̸.”

Chase, ironically (as he’s basically the Septic version of Dadiplier—a septic dad), is the one to ask, “Why would an Iplier give you... **that**?” He gestures at it like it’s somehow offensive or improper—and, perhaps, it is in his mind when it’s on Anti.

“.̴.̡. T’͘w̨a̶s a͏ t’a̷nk you̧..͏.”

Henrik finally speaks up, confusedly, from behind all of them. His voice carries from the bottom of the stairs where he stands perplexed, “For vhat, exactly?”

“..͏.͏ ̢Sh͠ari͜n̛’̷ ̧Pa͘͜s̢͢t̸̕e͘͢l̨͏ ҉͠҉P͟͞u̷̵̧n͜k͘ wit’ ‘i͢s ͜d̶au̸ghte͘r͢...͟”

“... Pastel What?”

* * *

Amy’s the one to really explain it to the other Septic’s.

Yani had been too riled up—too triggered—to talk to them, especially Jackie; Wilford had been too pouty; Dark had become far too irritated; both Mark and Dr. Iplier grew too exasperated; while both Google and Bing became too confused; and Dadi had just been too disappointed in them all (Babi just wanted _Antihugs_ ).

One by one, the Septic’s came to understand what the problem was.

And one by one, they made a personal vow.

* * *

Seán’s the first one to successfully uphold his vow.

Armed with the new knowledge that his sharpest Ego likes this soft punk style, the Irish YouTuber’s able to look the aesthetic up online and shop around for it.

For Anti.

And when he finds a pair of pastel pink gauges with big blooming white roses, he immediately buys them for his Glitch; and the little Evil ends up adoring them.

* * *

Marvin’s the second success.

This isn’t, of course, because he finds and gifts a Pastel Punk product to Anti; no: it’s because he ends up expressing a like for Anti’s lavender punk items; which leads to them discussing the pros and cons of it to similar purple themes and browsing through magazines and catalogs for Marvin’s own pastel sets.

It isn’t really until Jackie finds them both in a pair of over-sized fleece sweaters (rose and lavender) that either of them even realize how far they’ve come.

How close they’ve gotten.

* * *

Chase is the third.

Again: this isn’t because he gifted anything to Anti; or because he picked it up—it’s because he found out Anti was still somehow ashamed of liking the softness.

Of liking being seen as soft.

He’d floundered, badly, at first—unsure what to really do—until he tackled it like Anti was his own kid: he just told him _there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be seen that way_ and _as long as it feels like you_ and _honestly you look great_.

* * *

Henrik, of course, is fourth.

His method might have been the strangest; although it was similar to Marvin’s.

He just randomly approached Anti, very purposefully, wearing a specific outfit.

A _Dr Pastel Mint_ outfit.

* * *

Jackie’s the last and hardest.

It had been incredibly difficult for him to adjust or even accept this side of Anti. Seán had cornered him about it one day, after the holidays, and asked why. Turns out the reason was very simple: Jackie just really hates hurting people; and, in his mind, if Anti is all tough and sharp and _big baddie_... hurting him’s ok; but, now that Anti’s all soft and pastel and pink of all things... hurting him isn’t ok.

Hurting him is **wrong** because everything in Jackie’s telling him: PROTECT.

But that’s wrong, too: Anti’s Jackie’s **villain** and therefore someone to fight with. Jackie can’t be protecting the same person that’s reaping havoc on Brighton! What if Anti takes advantage? What if he looks all soft while bombing things?!

This is where Anti, himself, finally talks to Jackie.

_He tugs the significantly larger male aside and fiddles with his too big sleeves while explaining: “It... ̵I͏t’͠s n̕ot͏ ̴j͠us͘t̕ ̢a̷ ̢t’i͝ng̵ ̸I̧ we̵a̸r̵..̨. Ja̢c͘k̶ie..̧.̶ I͡t’̶s̢ a͟ stat̛e͝ of͞ ͝m̵in͘d..̵.͜” He tugs on the gauges Seán gifted him as he quietly murmurs, “I͘ don͟’t f̷ee̛l.͏.. ̕v̧i͡ol̸e̷n҉t̢.̸..̵ w̷hen ̕I’m͘ dr̨ess̡i̧n’ l͟ik̛e ͏t’̵is.͘.͏. Ah jus͠’͡ fee҉l...̴” He blushes, “S̸͢-̵̢s̵̶o̶͘f̨͜t̢̕.̶̶.̨̡͢.͞”_

It’s this moment that Jackie finally stops worrying and starts wondering.

He thinks back to all the times he’s ever faced off against Anti, fought with him, and realizes that there was never a time when they battled with Anti in pastels—or even any kind of pink! Yes: Anti’s chromatic aberration is green and **pink** ; but that’s a vibrant hot pink that’s still every bit as sharp as Anti’s favorite knife.

The pastel rose pink Anti’s become so fond of sporting... that’s different.

That’s soft and sweet.

* * *

By the time Jameson’s finally returned to them (after who knows how long he spent in whatever timesegment he slipped off to at the end of his first showing), Anti’s pastel punkness has been long established and accepted.

It’s what makes Jameson’s reaction to it so surprising: pure confusion.

He actually turned to Jackie and signed: [Why, Anti, Soft?]

To which Jackie simply replied: [Anti, Pastel, Punk.]

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Discovering Another Side](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24313420) by [tymewarps](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tymewarps/pseuds/tymewarps)




End file.
